Bai Hotel has a good strategic location. Apart
from its proximity to the Mactan International Airport, Cebu City's tourist and special landmarks as well as nearby entertainment establishments making up the night life of Mandaue City are all readily accessible.
The
flight attendants, sojourners and transients were a common sight at the
reception area of this luxury hotel when we arrived nearing midnight.
In some sort of dejavu, I suddenly recalled my first long-haul trip to San Francisco, USA last winter of 2017. With my less than 24-hour layover in San Francisco bound for Calgary,
Canada, and on queue for check-in on one luxury hotel near the airport, I was
joined by pilots and flight attendants, who will likewise spend the night at
the said city. It was a transient stay at its best, which I envision as to what my stay at Bai Hotel will likewise be.
Since
we checked-in late and almost past midnight due to delayed flights from Manila,
we tried to inquire if an in-house restaurant is still open to satisfy our
hunger. Fortunately, we were directed to
the Twilight Roofdeck Lounge + Bar
and we were accommodated to the last minute. (that is, after a series of negotiations)
TWILIGHT ROOFDECK
LOUNGE + BAR
The modern outdoor terrace of the Twilight Roofdeck Lounge and Bar is
spacious enough to accommodate a number of guests without prying into the
privacy of adjacent tables. The al
fresco dining experience offers bar chow, cocktails, draft beers and wines.
The meals itself were gastronomically appealing and delectable. It is no wonder why it is also
becoming one of the popular go-to place for a nightlife and dinner date while at Cebu.
THE
ROOMS
I was assigned to a Deluxe Twin Bed on duration of
stay at Bai Hotel. The room is equipped
with all the basics and comes with a chiller, electronic safe and electric iron
with ironing road. All these I guess are likewise available to all types of rooms, considering that mine was the standard and the most basic one.
Because we are all internet-dependent, it is good that
the hotel is able to provide complimentary daily wifi with Internet Protocol
Televisions (IPTV) offering an unbeatable choice of live channels. Comfort and
security are ensured thru a world-class access control system.
We can actually lounge and rest the whole day at our
rooms if not for the other equally promising amenities the hotel has to offer.
RESTAURANTS
The Bai Hotel may have pampered us so much that one
can actually no longer go out of the hotel for a meal. Your all-day meal is covered by the varied
in-house restaurants of the hotel, specializing on different cuisines and
offerings. They are all unique in every
aspect.
UME JAPANESE
CUISINE
Day 1. I had to skip breakfast for a longer sleep. Ushered towards the ground floor and near the reception
area of the hotel, we had our lunch served for the first day at the Japanese
restaurant named Ume. With a modern chic
ambiance, the restaurant provides a generous serving of traditional Japanese
cuisine featuring made-to-order sushi, soba, rice bowls and a la carte yakitori,
sashimi and other dishes.
In a quite unique and authentic concept of presentation, dishes were prepared by a Japanese chef. We were reminded that the restaurant is closed every Monday. Operating hours are from 11:30AM to 2:30 PM
for lunch and 6:00PM to 10:00PM for dinner.
Ume Japanese Restaurant of Bai Hotel is by far one of the best Japanese restaurants I
have tried in the country, and not only in Cebu City.
MARBLE +
GRAIN STEAKHOUSE
Adjacent to the Japanese restaurant is the
steakhouse. This fine dining restaurant
named Marble + Grain Steakhouse is easy to love. We were fortunate to have tried its servings as well.
I am actually not sure, if it was just a promo during our stay, but
steak comes in unlimited serving. And who could not resist such an offer.
Marble + Grain Steakhouse serves the finest
custom-aged USDA prime beef, which comes with an excellent wine selection. Extraordinary hospitality service is given.
Apart from the steaks, the restaurant’s menu offerings include seafood, lamb,
pork and poultry dishes.
EXECUTIVE
CLUB LOUNGE
As the name suggests, the Executive Club Lounge is actually exclusive for guests in the Executive Club Floor, situated at the 22nd Floor of
the hotel. We were fortunate to have
been given the opportunity to have one of our breakfast meals served at the Executive Club
Lounge.
The Executive Club Lounge serves complimentary
buffet-style breakfast, light refreshments, afternoon, tea, cocktails and
beers. The lounge is actually perfect
for business meetings and for a more intimate dining experience when you stay
as a group.
We actually enjoyed the exclusivity as this weekend
getaway served as a reunion as well for our good friends who I travelled with
to Indonesia for the #TripofWonders
tourism campaign, sponsored by its Ministry of Tourism.
The curiosity to either try the Pool Bar or just stay at
the comforts of our respective rooms was a good dilemma we had. But after sunset and on our last day, we gave in for a quick dip
at the hotel’s pool alongside the Pool Bar.
Situated at the 21st Floor of the hotel, more than the light
to heavy snacks, fresh drinks, draft beers, cocktails and wines, floating while
gazing at the stars and the city skyline is what the Pool Bar wants the guests
to experience.
SIDE
TRIPS WHILE AT BAI HOTEL
Bai Hotel, as a business hotel, is a perfect location
for side trips as well while in Mandaue.
Though not within the city center, the hotel is accessible to equally
appealing landmarks of Cebu, perfect for a weekend getaway.
And in our case, we got to celebrate the birthday of
one of our friends in one of Cebu’s best night clubs, dine at my favorite Cebu’s
Original Lechon Belly and stroll at a now famed mausoleum in the province.
TEMPLE OF
LEAH
With the assistance of Bai Hotel staff and management, transport to the
Temple of Leah was made easy. The Temple of
Leah is now a famous landmark in Cebu, with guests coming for a photo shoot and
have a glimpse of Roman-inspired architecture.
Because the temple is situated on a high elevation, it
has a good vantage of Cebu skyline as well.
CEBU’S
ORIGINAL LECHON BELLY
A taste of Lechon
Cebu is one of the must dining experience when in the province. Fortunately, my favorite Cebu’s Original Lechon Belly has a branch at the Parkmall, just across Bai Hotel. And so we tried their spicy and original
lechon belly on a hefty serving.
OQTAGON
The Bai Hotel is a partner establishment of Oqtagon. We were told that we just have to present the
keycards and there is no door charge.
We noticed that the patrons are mostly Koreans. It really is one of the best night clubs of
Cebu with world-class interiors and sophisticated built-in sound system. We went there almost exhausted but curious to
try the nightlife and planned to leave the club early. But as soon as we were inside, we were seated
on one of the VIP tables and began to enjoy the sounds and the booze. We celebrated the birthday of one of our
friends, Ruth, and it was courtesy of Bai Hotel. The hotel indeed knows how to treat their
guests on a five-star personalized hospitality service.
RECOMMENDATION
Bai Hotel is an ideal accommodation for large groups –
on vacation with friends, family or for an official business trip. With the traffic congestion now slowly
building-up in Cebu, especially in downtown area and when time-bound (strictly only for the weekends in our case), it would be best to stay at Bai Hotel.
While at Bai Hotel, you get the 100% comfort of a five-star service. We have experienced an authentic local hospitality,
without compromising the vision to serve savvy business and leisure travelers.
BAI HOTEL
A1 Ouano Avenue, Mandaue City
(032) 342 8888
